A 60-year-old man sustained serious burn injuries after an explosive substance used in temple rituals accidentally caught fire and exploded in his house in Kattaikonam on Sunday.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. when the injured person, Balakrishnan, a temple employee, had kept a batch of fireworks mixture in his house for drying. It was during this time that someone nearby was cutting an iron rod using a metal cutter. Sparks from the tool are suspected to have fallen onto the combustible substance and ignited it to cause the blast.
While the blast was initially considered to be a gas cylinder explosion, it was later that the neighbours realised that the fire originated from the explosive substance stored in the house.
Balakrishnan was alone in the house at the time of the explosion. He suffered severe burns and has been admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital.
While no other injuries or significant property damage have been reported, the police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Published – November 23, 2025 07:27 pm IST
